The Canadian Mortgage Awards are back with a focus on charity and ready to honour this year’s leading industry players. We’re also tipping our hats to the hundreds of others who have claimed trophies over the last eight years, with a retrospective on their continuing contributions to the broker channel.

British Columbia-based financial services company will shed both its name -- North Shore -- and its “credit union” moniker in a rebranding effort; which may make it easier for brokers to sell clients on its offerings.

The Independent Mortgage Brokers Association of Ontario (IMBA) joined the long list of organizations to present its recommendations to those charged with reviewing the Mortgage Brokerages Lenders and Administrators Act of Ontario (MBLAA) – citing a review of education requirements among several other salient issues.

The Bank of Canada may hold off on hiking rates until the U.S. Federal Reserve decides to raise its own, argues Fidelity Investments, giving brokers yet more food for thought on when their market will finally cool down.

Mortgage investment corporations (MICs) – lenders that brokers are increasingly turning to – aren’t cause for major concern, according to the deputy governor of the Bank of Canada, but his institution is keeping a close eye on them.

The head of the federal bank regulator says she remains concerned that low interest rates are lulling Canadians into a false sense of security – her comments suggesting OSFI could still ratchet down already-tight underwriting.